ALLERGY SUFFERERSIN THEIR OWN WORDS

As part of a 2012 study1 on house dust mite allergy, sufferers from across Europe described their day-to-day experience.

A depressing sense of helplessness …

“You feel the first signs of an attack of rhinitis and you can’t do anything to prevent it …”Olivier, aged 47, France

“House dust mites are everywhere: when you have an attack, you can’t even escape from them!”

Carlos, aged 53, Spain

“There are days when, as soon as you wake up, you know you are going to have a bad one. It’s a disaster …”

Sophia, aged 33, Italy

Daily distress and discomfort …

“You are talking to someone and suddenly your nose starts to run: it’s very embarrassing…”

Olivier, aged 47, France

“I can’t do anything without first thinking about my house dust mite allergy…”

Anna, aged 22, Italy

And lack of understanding…

“People think that you are ill all the time and that you are always complaining”.

Philippe, aged 33, France

“When I cough, people sometimes look at me as if I have some strange contagious disease”

Victor, aged 53, Spain

[1] Qualitative survey including 20 in-depth semi-directive interviews conducted by LT Insight on behalf of Stallergenes, in April 2012 in France, Germany, Italy and Spain with patients suffering from house dust mite allergy.